


Shadows Of The Night

by Royally_over_it



Series: Underverse [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Abuse, Dark, Drug Use, Drugs, Manipulation, Multi, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Original Series, Politics, Rose Winters, Thriller, belle versity, george winters, jack versity, roxas winters, stella wright
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2020-11-28 04:44:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20960684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Royally_over_it/pseuds/Royally_over_it
Summary: George Winters has always craved for power, it was his first memory and the only one he truly cherished. So when he finally sees the opportunity to have all the power he ever dreamed of through James Versity, the firstborn son of one of the most successful businessmen in the world he jumps at the opportunity. But just how far will one man go for power? And how many will he drag down with him?





	1. Puzzle Pieces

**June 16th 2029**

_Tap Tap Tap_

The sound of the key on the oak bar though the quietest within the loud, excitable walls of Shadow Casino, was the one sound that the taupe-haired, slightly greying man leaning against the bar was focusing on. It was helping him correlate his thoughts into one plan- or as much of a plan that he could create at this time. His slate grey eyes stayed fixated on the younger, obsidian haired man at the other end of the busy room packed with those trying to make a quick profit. He was speaking to his blonde-haired father. It was...Poetic. Seeing a family hiding just as many secrets as he was. He knew he was the perfect choice for this. The firstborn son to the Versity name. Brought up by greed, taught to love the power. He was _just like him_. Even if young James couldn't see it yet. He would soon. It would just take time, _patience_...And a little convincing.

_Tap tap tap_

But he needed a reason to get closer. It would be suspicious, a man the age of his father trying to form a friendship. He was just his employee- another cog in the money-making machine for the Versity name. But how? How could he possibly find a reason to make a way into this young man's personal life. A frown replaced the thoughtful look on sharp features before he brought his glass to his lips, his eyes shifting from the conversation between a man and father to his own son who was making his way through the casino towards the bar. He observed, curious when he noticed who Roxas had just walked into.

"Fucking hell." Roxas' gravely voice spoke up when he felt his arm collide with someone else's body, he swung around instantly ready to let poison words drip from his tongue when he paused. His dark brown eyes met with lime green hues of the blonde-haired beauty he had walked into. He was taken back almost instantly. Her golden curls framed her heart-shaped face, the colour complimenting her pale skin beautifully. Her features soft and delicate, reminding the man of a china doll locked away in a cabinet, hidden from the world. the roundness of her cheeks worked in harmony with the curve of her small nose and the doe shape to her eyes. And her body; one of a model. Her thick curves easy to see from a mile away. She tilted her head slightly, a smile curling onto her pink glossed pout.

"Oh, I'm sorry." She spoke up, her voice to the male was like silver bells ringing in his ear. But just as quick as she had entered his life she had left, spinning around on her heels and continuing towards her brother and father that were conversing not too far away from her. Roxas stood there for a few moments, eyes still locked onto the golden-haired girl, a smirk curling onto his own lips. His eyes shifted towards his father who was still leaning against the bar.

"Another drink, George?" The bartender spoke up, George placed his glass down ignoring the man who had spoken his name but the hint was taken, the glass being removed for a fresh drink. _Hm. _His eyes moved from Roxas towards James, his father and now his little sister who seemed to all be conversing. This was _perfect,_ the exact thing he had been looking for. _The missing piece. _

"Roxas." George's voice joined the loud chatter which filled the sinful room, but it was easy for Roxas to pick it out through the noise. His voice was loud, clear and authoritative but had this underlying low tone throughout his words. His son walked over, resting his arms on the table before holding up his hand to gesture for a drink, then fluidly turning that gesture into pushing a steel black lock behind his ear. A few silent moments passed, the drinks being placed onto the bar in front of them. Roxas turned his head to look at his father whose eyes were focused on his own glass, slowly swirling it, the ice cubes clinking against the glass while he did.

"That girl, you like her?" George asked, bringing the glass to his lips once more.

Roxas reflected for a few moments before replying.

"Yeah, I liked her." He chose his words carefully, he didn't fully know if this was another one of his father's tests to see if he was learning, getting better at what George was training him to become.

George paused for a few moments, keeping the glass to his lips to hide his smirk. This was all falling into place for him like pieces of a puzzle. However, while his eyes continued to observe the family, he realised that there was just one piece of the puzzle that didn't fit, and that was the brown-haired male who had just wrapped his arms around the golden-haired teenager. _He was the only thing in the way now. _Slowly, George brought the glass down from his lips and let his slate eyes drift away from the couple and back to his own son.

_"Enough to kill?" _He asked, his voice now low so no one around them could hear the conversation. Roxas turned his gaze back onto the blonde, staring at the male whose lips were brushing against the girl's glossed lips. He gripped at his glass tightly, jealous of whoever the hell this man was. He had only just met the teenager but that was long enough for Roxas to have already decided that she was going to belong to _him_. **_He_ wanted **_**her**._ And that was all that mattered to Roxas. His answer slipped out almost instantly.

_"Yes."_

"..." George smirked, watching the two lovers for a brief second before his eyes shifted back to James.

_"Perfect."_


	2. Arranging the pieces

The sound of the door clicking shut behind the father and son duo echoed around the seemingly empty house. George frowned, he hadn’t expected the house to be so quiet. 

The Casino had been rather uneventful after the conversation at the bar. They had kept their distance away from the family to not draw suspicion to themselves, even though a few times Roxas had tried to converse with the young blonde George was able to easily shut it down and pull him away. He was young, still training but if he wasn’t careful they would quickly go from just a normal family to something more suspicious. And that was the reason George had decided to only discuss the plan in more depth once they were in the safety of their home. Slowly the elder male made his way through the living area and into the conservatory, pulling off his tie and throwing it down onto the dining table in the middle of the room. He dragged the seat closest to him out from under the table by his foot, the wood dragging against the laminate before finally taking a seat, letting his head roll back to look at the ceiling. The silence was growing thick and he knew soon his son would start speaking. He was excited, gagging for the details much as he used to when he was younger. 

“...”

“Are we really going to kill him?” Roxas finally spoke up, his voice breaking what he would describe as agonising tension. “The boyfriend, I mean.”

“I’m not going to do anything…” George replied, his voice calm and quiet like always. The raspiness of his throat emphasizing the word _ anything _. He waited for Roxas’ reply, rolling his head against his shoulders so he could look at the man. He seemed shocked at George’s words, now deep in thought to try and understand exactly what he meant. 

“You’ve always wanted to do something like this independently, haven’t you? To prove yourself?” He pointed out, gesturing towards the younger man with one hand. “Well, this is your chance.”

“Really?” Roxas asked 

“Yeah.”

Roxas fell silent for a few moments, lingering on his father’s words before finally speaking up again. 

“Why are you encouraging this? You’re the one who usually insists we have to try and blend in so we don’t get caught.” 

A small smirk crawled onto George’s lip, a low rumbling chuckle slipping from the smirk. “Because I have a plan.” He started, leaning forward in his chair while he spoke and resting his elbows on the table in front of him, he gestured to the seat on the opposite side of the table. Waiting for Roxas to sit down before he carried on. “And your little crush on that Versity girl is going to help me.” 

“Help?” Roxas mused. “How exactly?”

“You know, that’s what I’ve always liked about you, son.” The elder male leaned back in his chair once again, his right arm draped over the back of the seat while his left arm stayed resting on the table. “You’re not afraid to ask questions. Always eager to learn more.” He paused, tapping his fingers against the table’s wood for a few seconds. “It’s simple, you take out that little boyfriend of hers. We enrol you into her college, little late for enrolments but that’s okay nothing a little money won't fix. You get to know her, make her fall for that infamous Winters charm that I gave you. You get what you want, I get closer to what I want.”

“And what is it that you want?”

“Power, my dear boy._ Power _. And that little James Versity will give us all we’ve ever dreamed of. Money, power beyond our dreams. I think with a little bit of persuading we could get him to even run for a Government position. In Britain of course so a little bit of a smaller country but it’s still a start.”

“You think all that will happen because of one self-entitled man who’s daddy bought a casino,” Roxas asked, his voice full of genuine curiosity. 

“Of course.” George laughed once more, tapping the table again. “Men with power, they’re blind to their surroundings. And with a little charm and a lot of patience, they end up listening to every word. And if that doesn’t work, I have my own form of...Persuasion that I could slip him.” 

“But it’s not finished yet, I thought you were still working out some kinks.”

“I am.” George shrugged, “But I won’t be working out them kinks forever. Sooner or later it’ll be finished...”

A smirk crawled onto Roxas’ lips, his lips parted like he was ready to speak when-

_ Creak _

What sounded like floorboards creaking under the weight of something caught the two men’s attention. They both turned to notice a petite teenager standing in the doorway. She froze, her eyes shifting up to look at the two men. She stepped back, staying close to one side of the door frame as she did, one hand gripping it. 

“Was you _ spying _ on us?” Roxas asked, his voice had shifted from the curious tone he had only seconds earlier to one of anger. He stood up, the scrape of the sound against wood causing the small girl to flinch. George held his hand out to gesture for his son to stop. His eyes never looking away from the young girl. 

“Rose, what are you doing out of your bedroom? It’s past your bedtime.” George’s voice still had that calm, quiet tone to it, but now there was something more sinister lingering behind his words. 

“I-” Rose started, she looked away from the two men and towards the floor. Their gaze bringing fear to the teenager. “I was going to ask if you wanted a drink, Uncle George. I heard you come in late...And I know you always like a drink when you come home from work.” Her voice was much softer than Georges. A kindness to it, but all her words seemed to be masked in fear. George tilted his head, his eyes never looking away from the young girl. 

“Rose, come here, please.” He spoke up, beckoning her to walk over with one finger. He knew she was lying by the way she refused to look at him but that wasn’t his concern at the moment. Slowly, the young girl walked towards her uncle, stopping in front of him. George’s hand took hers, running his thumb against her soft skin. “Rose, how did you get out of your room?” He asked, observing her while he spoke. Rose kept her eyes averted to the ground, she didn’t speak but to George, the silence spoke volumes. “I see, Stella’s lockpicking skills seem to be improving.” Rose's lips parted like she was about to speak, but closed almost as quickly as they had parted. She was smart, something George admired in the girl along with her sheer willpower to stay soft in such a cruel environment. He hadn’t seen that in any of the other children, it was almost endearing to the middle-aged man. 

“...”

“I see.” George’s hand left hers and reached out; fingertips wrapping around the top of the glass and sliding it over to the teenage girl, the sound of the glass sliding against the willow table being the only sound filling the house and causing Rose to flinch once more, she watched his every movement from the corner of his eye. Vigilant like her sister, Stella’s teachings of course.

“I’ll take that drink then.” He smiled at her, still observing the girl’s movements. She nodded her head, _barely_, before reaching her hand out to take the glass, a scared frown on her soft lips and eyes looking anywhere but at her own uncle. Her fingertips brushed against the smooth, cool glass almost like she was hesitating before finally gripping the glass and turning on her heels. She was desperate to get out of the room, anybody could see that. George watched her take a few quick, timid steps away from him before his much larger hand reached out and wrapped around the girl's tiny wrist. 

“Rose.” His voice was clear with a serious tone running through his words that caused even Roxas to shrink down in his chair ever so slightly. She stopped walking almost instantly at his touch before stiffening at the sound of her name leaving his lips. “Look at me.” There was authority behind his voice now, but he never raised his voice. Not once. Slowly, Rose turned around and let her gaze rise from the floor to look into his grey eyes. There it was, the fear he saw in her eyes whenever she looked at him. “Why are you frowning, Rose? Are you upset?” Rose once again chose silence over justifying herself. He let the pause drag on for a few moments before speaking up once more. This time knowing his words were going to stir a reaction. 

“Do we need to wash that sadness away, Rose?” George asked the young teenager. His voice much softer, quieter this time; almost like this was an intimate moment between the uncle and niece. Rose’s eyes widened, trying to step away but George kept a tight grip on the female, pulling her petite figure closer towards him. She was shaking now, he could feel her hand tremble in his grip and it made a smile crawl onto his lips. Roxas watched the two, his eyes observant almost like he was mentally taking notes of everything his father was doing. 

“No, Uncle George.” Rose replied, keeping her eyes locked with his. “I’m not sad, honest.” George tilted his head, his smile quickly tugging into a smirk. He gripped the girl’s chin with his thumb and index finger. “Then let me see that pretty smile of yours.” Those words left his lips almost in a low rumble. Slowly, the girl's lips trembled into a small smile. A smile full of fear. He loved it. He watched her for a few moments, taking in the details of her face before letting go of her. “Whiskey.” His voice had shifted back to normal, watching the girl start briskly walking from the room. 

“Oh, and Stella, it’s rude to listen in on conversations.” The male's eyes now adverted to the doorframe where Rose had originally stood minutes ago. 

“Fuck you.” A New Yorker accent shot back at the man, her voice lower, darker than Rose’s. The much taller woman pushed herself off the wall behind the door frame, her green eyes full of anger, hate for the men in the room before walking off behind Rose, the petite teenager now fully hidden by her six-foot sister. 

The silence in the room grew thick once more, a common occurrence in this household. George had taught all the children in this house just how powerful silence can be. Often much more powerful than any words you could speak. Finally, the man looked back to his only biological son. “So.”

“So?” Roxas repeated, a questioning tone in his voice. 

“How are you going to do it?” George leaned back in his chair once more. He watched his son why he mused, curious to hear his answer. 

“Observe. Find the weakness. Strike.” 

George leaned his elbows on the table, his smirk now curling into a grin. 

_ “That’s my boy.” _


	3. Observe

**June 18th 2029**

_"She'll be here. She's just running late...Again."_

Danny frowned to himself before a soft sigh left his lips. She was supposed to be here over an hour ago but it seemed that she had ended up wrapped up in something once again. It was a regular occurrence for his girlfriend to end up being late. It usually had something to do with her father and his insane timetables for the young girl but it didn't make it any less frustrating. He couldn't blame her; not really. But it had been getting harder for the two of them to see each other for years now, every chance they got it seemed to either had to be cut short or scrapped completely. He knew that William hated him, more so after he had been cut off from his family fortune and left to fend for himself but it was almost becoming unbearable. He wanted to tell her the truth. But he couldn't put this on her because deep down he knew it hurt her just as much as it hurt him.

_And that was why they had to run away._

It was a plan he had been dreaming in his mind since the two had started college. But seeing how Belle and Jack were being treated during this holiday to Vegas, the way their own father just ignored the twins and favoured the elder brother. It broke his heart, not only because that was his best friend and girlfriend being pushed aside and feelings ignored, but it hit too close to home for the Irish teenager.

Slowly, Danny turned and walked over to the edge of the roof fenced off with a railing. A rather unusual place for teenagers to hang, but this spot had quickly become everything to them. No one who was visiting the casino ever came onto the roof which made it a quiet spot for the couple to just be themselves away from the prying eyes of the world. High up in the sky where they could see the stars over the light pollution and where no one could hear the words which they spoke so sweetly to each other. It really was their sanctuary, the one place where they could love and be loved in return. It wasn't hard for Danny to get up here, he was staying in a hotel room on the top floor of the casino anyway, all it took was a little lock picking and a lot of persuasion to get his usually lawfully good girlfriend up here.

But Danny's favourite part had to be the view, it really reminded him just how beautiful this built-up city could be. You could see all of Vegas from up here. Its pure, raw beauty. The aged buildings which still stood strong after so many years living in harmony with the newer modern buildings, and the lights from the Vegas strip, the way they shot into the sky and transformed into holograms before his very eyes were like magic. Fairies, dancers and lovers all dancing in the night sky like it was a stage, the stars its audience and the moon its spotlight. His eyes watched as the lights transformed into birds, flying over the city and over his own head, twisting to see them fly past when he noticed the door to the roof opening. And there she was, the most beautiful view of them all. His girlfriend.

"Belle." Danny's Irish accent was like music to the young blonde's ears. But she almost instantly picked up the sad tone in his voice. She knew why. She was late, later than she had ever been before and he always had that sombre tone whenever she turned up late because they both knew what it meant; her father was trying to keep them apart.

"I'm sorry," Belle replied, her voice soft like a silver bell. She took another step closer to him. He wasn't much taller than Belle, but still enough for her to have to tilt her head up slightly so her green eyes could meet his gaze. To her, Danny was the most handsome man in the world. His dark brown locks complemented his sun-kissed skin. But it was his eyes that always left her breathless. The brown contrasting with the sections of blue made his eyes almost like they were galaxies; her very own night sky. Filling her with the same hopeful feeling she felt whenever she looked up at the stars.

Danny frowned, before sighing once again and letting his hand rest against her cheek, his thumb stroking her soft skin for a few moments before his hand fell to his side once more.

"I've been waiting for two hours, B." His voice had that sombre tone to it. His words lingered in the air for a few silent moments.

"I know, I'm sorry." Belle started, reaching out and taking his hand with her own, bringing it up to her cheek once again and resting her face against his warm palm. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of his skin against hers. "Dad-"

"Planned something, I know." He finished the sentence for her. "_Mierda, _Belle he always has something planned for you these days."

"I know." Her voice sounded almost smaller this time. Danny paused, looking up to the sky for a few moments why he tried to find the right words to say. "B, when are you going to stand up to him?" He asked, softening his own voice now. He knew this was a difficult conversation for her. Her peach glossed lips fell almost instantly when those words left his mouth. She let go of his hand subconsciously, causing it to fall back by his side once more.

"It's not as easy as that, Danny we both know that." She replied.

"It is. I have my own apartment, Belle you could just say no and move out. Live with me, get away from it all." Danny now reached out and took Belle's hand with his own, pulling her closer. His eyes were full of hope.

"What about Jack?" She started, shaking her head. "I can't leave him in that house alone! Dad would blame me leaving on him and would tear him apart." Her voice started to sound desperate. "And Kasey, Dad would demand she starts training to do what I do, I couldn't put her through that. Not to mention Mum she-

"What about you, Belle?" Danny interrupted her. "What about your happiness, what about us?" He paused for a moment. "What about me?"

"Danny you know I love you, and I would do anything to live a normal life with you but I _can't. Not yet._" Belle's eyes welled with tears as she spoke. "I have to do this, I have to be there for my family, my brother."

Danny sighed once more, running his fingers through his hair. "And if one day William decides to not play his games anymore and makes you choose between the family or me? Then what?"

Belle fell silent, she couldn't stop the tears from escaping her eyes anymore. They rolled down her cheeks causing waves of guilt to crash over Danny, replacing the feelings of frustration and desperation he had been feeling only moments before. He pulled his girlfriend closer, taking in her floral lavender scent and letting his hands get tangled in her golden curls. He had never wanted to upset her, that wasn't his intention at all. He just wanted to know where he stood in all this. But seeing her tears; the fact she cried over all this was enough to prove that she loved him. And that was enough for him to keep fighting.

"Belle, I'm sorry." He whispered, letting his soft voice soothe her, feeling her frame relax into his arms. His thumb stroked over her shoulder and he planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I'm just worried. You're a candle burning at both ends right now and you can only go on for so long like that until you end up a victim to the fuego." He frowned, still letting his one hand stroke her shoulder while the other played with her hair. "But we'll figure this out. We always do." He smiled softly to her, pulling away slightly so he could look into her eyes.

"Promise?" She sniffed, her voice meek. His smile became a little brighter as he moved his hand from her shoulder and rubbed his thumb across her cheek to catch her tears.

"I promise, now why don't we head to my hotel room instead and have some hot chocolate, it's pretty nippy out here anyway, I think there's a storm rolling in." He looked to the sky, watching the dark clouds replace the beauty of the stars and moon with their cold, gloomy presence. Belle nodded and the two started their way back inside, Danny wrapping his hoodie around her figure why they walked. The door slammed shut behind them and for a few moments, the roof was silent until a loud crack of thunder echoed through Vegas.

Roxas stepped out from the other side of the roof where he had been waiting, the flash of lightning illuminating his face. A small smirk curling onto his dark lips.

"Sounds like some trouble in paradise." Another male voice spoke up. A smaller man with light brown hair and hazel eyes stepped out from the same place Roxas had been. He seemed somewhat bored, uninterested.

"Sounds like the perfect reason for an upset boyfriend to leave," Roxas replied, his voice much lower, darker than his adopted brother.

"Didn't seem like he wanted to leave to me." The teenager admitted with a slight shrug, hands in his pockets. He didn't want to be here, he knew this was going to end up being trouble.

"What he wants doesn't matter to me," Roxas demanded, snapping at the man.

** _"I want him to leave and that's all that matters."_ **


	4. Are you with me?

The conversation on the Casino’s roof had ended abruptly after Roxas’ reply to his younger brother, with the walk back being one filled with silence. Kai was inside his own mind. Roxas was just convinced that he was trying to understand exactly what his words meant, but unbeknownst to Roxas; Kai had already figured it out. Or part of it at least. Kai knew Roxas better than anyone else in the world, had always looked up to his elder brother and most importantly had been the one person which had seen just how dangerous this man could be. He had watched this guy hurt people for the sake of proving he was better, seen the way his words had haunted those who got in the firing line. And those who decided to dare cross his path, stand up to the man...Well, Kai had seen it all. Roxas was always the one left standing, Roxas was always the one who walked away._ Roxas always won._

His hazel eyes looked away from the ground to his elder brother walking in front of him and Kai felt sick, sick at the thought that once upon a time he wanted to be just like him. Now? Kai just wanted to survive. He knew once Roxas was done with him, he would be gone; unless he could prove to George that he was worth keeping around. He would say run, but deep down Kai knew there was no running away. Not away from this family; it would always find its way back to him. To survive, you follow. And that was exactly what he decided he was going to do as they walked up to the front door of the prison he learned to call home.

_Click_

The sound of the door closing behind the brothers was a comforting sound to Roxas, knowing he was away from the prying eyes of society and in the one place he could talk about his plans and darkest thoughts freely. But to Kai, that was the main reason it filled him with anxiety. If walls could speak, they would scream from the horrors that happened behind closed doors. He followed Roxas subconsciously as the two men walked through the passageway and into the living room. His eyes glanced to look up the stairs why he passed, noticing Rose standing at the top, almost trying to hide behind the bannister. He smiled kindly to her, the only person in this house he did smile too because deep down he knew that she felt it too. The feeling of fear, the need to survive. The young girl's lips smiled back at him and for a split second, he felt okay. But quickly his eyes looked back down to the ground when he heard the sound of combat boots hitting the wooden floorboards upstairs.

Finally, when the two were in the living room Kai decided to speak up; he could tell that Roxas was eager.

“You’re going to convince him to leave?” Kai asked, his voice covering up the sound of the boots now making their way down the steps and towards the living room.

“What?” Roxas replied, almost like he didn’t understand what Kai was talking about. Or maybe too distracted with something else.

“That boy. You’re going to convince him to leave?”

“No one mentioned convincing, Kai. I’m going to make sure he never returns.”

Kai paused for a few moments before his eyes widened. He thought he had figured out Roxas’ plan, but it seemed like that this time even Kai was wrong. “Woah, you mean like _kill_ him?” He asked, hoping that he had just misunderstood his brother's words.

“Exactly.”

“You’re going to _kill_ him?!” Kai stepped away from his brother. He had known Roxas to do bad, awful things. But never as far as this. Roxas turned around to look at him, his eyes glazed over to have a much colder look to them. It honestly didn’t even seem like Roxas was looking at Kai, almost like he was staring at something behind the man. But that didn’t matter to Kai, not at the moment. He was still trying to fully comprehend what his brother had just said. It wasn’t until he heard the sound of a scoff come from the doorway that he finally turned around to see who was standing there, his stomach turning when he realised it was Stella.

“You think that’s going to work?” Stella asked, her voice was low for a female, blunt with almost a bitter tone to it. She hated Roxas, and she was sure that the feeling was mutual.”

“Why wouldn’t it?” Roxas spat back. Kai could always feel the shift in tension when these two were in the room, anybody could. He stepped out from in between the two of them as Stella walked closer to Roxas, her footsteps heavy. She stood at about the same height of Roxas at 6 foot tall, her arms crossed, gaze dead set on the man in front of her.

“You don’t think people aren’t going to notice that he’s gone missing?” Stella asked, not looking away from the man for a second. “You really think you can just kill someone, and nothing would fucking come out of it?”

“She has a point, Roxas." Kai chimed in. "He’s on holiday here with his girlfriend’s family, they’re clearly going to notice if suddenly their daughter’s boyfriend hasn’t turned up at the airport.”

“They won’t because we’ll make sure it looks like he left!” Roxas raised his voice, venom dripping from every word. His cold eyes locked with Kai for a second making the man shrink before turning back to Stella, taking another step closer to her; trying to intimidate her. But she didn’t step back, all she did was raise an eyebrow and continued to stare into her cousin’s dark brown eyes. Her own green full of suppressed rage for this man.

“Wait, _We-_” Kai started before being interrupted by Roxas.

“You think I haven’t fucking been planning this out. I heard them on that roof, I saw the look of desperation in his eyes that his girlfriend would choose him over everyone else. And she didn’t. She still chose her family. Seems like an awfully good reason to me for a boyfriend to fuck off elsewhere and start new.”

“Yes, because every boyfriend leaves their family behind because they got into an argument with their girlfriend,” Stella replied coolly, the tone of sarcasm in her voice made rage bubble up inside Roxas, clenching his fists. Stella, she didn’t know everything that Roxas did. He had been watching these two ever since that conversation with George a few nights ago. He had done his research on little Daniel Nelson. He knew more about this man than he probably knew about himself.

“Why do care so much about this anyway?” Stella finally asked. “You’ve never given a shit about any of George’s plans before, why now.”

“Because I _want _her!” Roxas yelled, he went to grab at Stella’s collar but she moved quicker, grabbing him by his wrist and slamming him into the wall behind them, now pinning him there by his own collar.

“Don’t _fucking_ touch me.” Stella hissed.

“Then don’t you _dare_ question me.” He spat back. His brown eyes filled with pure rage. He didn’t expect them to understand. They hadn’t seen her, how _perfect_ she was. Her blonde curls how he wished to grab at them. Those lips he wished to hear them speak only his name, cry it out. He wanted to kiss them, claim them as his own...And those eyes, he wanted those eyes to look only at him. His desire though unexplainable to him, it was real. She had woken up something inside him. Of course, he understood that deep down George was only allowing this because then he could start his own little plan but that meant nothing to Roxas. He didn’t care at all about George’s plan. All his cared about was his infatuation with that blonde-haired girl at the casino. He _deserved_ her. _Needed_ her.

“...All this over a _girl_? You’re going to kill a boy over some silly little crush?” Kai spoke up,a desperate tone in his voice, almost pleading for Roxas to understand just how crazy this sounded. Stella let go of Roxas’ collar and stepped away from him, crossing her arms once more. Roxas kept his eyes locked on Stella for a few moments before finally turning his attention back to Kai, walking towards him, only stopping when Stella took a step forward like she was about to get in between the two brothers.

“You’re not going soft on me are you, Kai? You wouldn’t want me to tell Dad about how you’re questioning his word. Would you?” Roxas’ words slipped from his tongue like poison. Knowing every word was cutting the man like a knife. Kai’s gaze locked with his brother’s for a few moments, the only sound that could be heard was the rain hitting the floor and the thunder still echoing through the city of Vegas. Roxas saw the look in Kai’s eyes, the look of fear, of desire to finally be important in George’s eyes. Or what he thought was the desire to be important, when in reality it was just the desire to survive.

“....No.” Kai replied

“So are you _with me?”_

_“...Yes.” _that word slipped from his lips in a whisper, keeping his gaze averted to the ground. A smirk tugged at Roxas’ lips, keeping his eyes on his younger brother for a little longer.

“...Good.” He finally replied before walking out the living room and towards the stairs. He never even let his gaze meet Stella’s why he walked out.

The silence in the room was thick after Roxas’ exit. Stella and Kai both standing there, Kai was lost for words and Stella, Stella just didn’t feel the need to speak. Finally, after a few long minutes of agonizing silence, Kai spoke up to break the tension.

“Why do you care?” Kai asked, his voice was much quieter around Stella.

“What?” Stella asked, arms still crossed, she let her green eyes look away from the doorway and towards the smaller teenage boy, trying to soften her stance around him. But not fully, she understood he wasn’t like Roxas or George, but she didn’t fully trust him. She didn’t fully trust anyone. Not anymore.

“Why do you care about what Roxas is doing? Usually, you don’t give two fucks about anything that happens in this house. Why do you care now?” Kai’s tone though full of genuine curiosity had the hint of bitterness to it. He was somewhat irritated that Stella only now just seemed to care about Roxas’ plans. All those years she had said nothing, why had she chosen now.

“It’s different this time.” Stella replied, her answer short and vague.

“Different?”

“Yeah.”

“How?”

“Because this isn’t his usual petty shit. There are lives on the line.” She paused, frowning. Trying to find the right words to explain herself.

“You really care about those people?” Kai asked.

Stella ignored his question.

“If Roxas gets caught we’re all fucked. Because if he goes down, he’ll take all of us fucking down with him too.” She finished, her voice had gone back to having that blunt tone lingering behind her words. She turned around on the heels of her boots and walked out of the room, leaving Kai they're alone. He didn’t fully understand what she meant; and he was sure that she hadn’t told him the true reason, that she was hiding it from him. But she had gotten one thing right.

_If Roxas went down, He would take them all down with him._


	5. Find the Weakness

**June 21st 2029**

“Okay, what about...That one?” 

“What one?”

“That one there, it looks like a pineapple.” 

Danny’s eyes followed where his girlfriend’s finger was pointing to, towards a cluster of stars in the night sky. The two had crept onto the roof once more to spend time together alone, away from the bustling casino and disapproving hues of William Versity. He tilted his head, observing the small cluster of stars before a soft chuckle fell from his lips.

“A pineapple? I just see...Stars” Danny proclaimed, looking down from the constellations to Belle laying next to him. The silver glow of the moonlight kissed the girl’s golden curls but it was her smile that caught his eye. A smile that glowed brighter than any star occupying the night sky. It was in moments like this, when it was just him and Belle, alone that he fell in love with her all over again. Reminded of every tiny thing that he loved about her. Yeah, William was trying to keep them apart, making it hard for the two but it was worth it for those fleeting minutes

“No, look,” Belle spoke up in a cheerful tone, tracing out the constellation with her manicured index finger. “Leaves and that part would be the body, see?”

“...No,” Danny admitted, both of them breaking into laughter. Belle’s hand fell back down to her side, reaching out into the emptiness to find Danny’s hand, her cold fingertips brushing against his warm skin until he took his hand in hers; their fingers entwined. They both remained silent, heads turned to look into each other's eyes, locked in a devoting gaze. Danny squeezed his girlfriend’s hand, a small pleasant smile curled onto his lips before he looked back to the sky. 

“Funny, isn’t it?”

“What?” Belle questioned, a puzzled look on her face.

“How in all this darkness, we still decide to focus on the light.” His voice was now soft, easy to tell that he was deep in thought.”

“Huh?” 

“Well, look. All the darkness in the night sky and our eyes still focus on the stars and moon.”

Belle twisted her head to look towards the sky again, it was true. If you removed the moon and stars it would be nothing more than darkness enveloping the city. But instead of focusing on that, her lime green eyes darted from one flickering star to the next, each one holding a wish, a dream, a secret. 

“You’re right.” She paused for a second. ”I’ve never noticed that before.”

“I don’t think anyone does, really.” He admitted. “But that’s what makes us human, I assume. That we choose to focus on the light in times of darkness.” 

“...Yeah, I like that.” Belle replied, her voice trailing off toward the end.

She turned to face him once more, taking in the details of his face. Her mind circled back to the doubts that had been lingering ever since that conversation on the roof a few nights back. They had argued before, sure, but never with so much emotion behind it. She had seen the look in his eyes when she chose her family, certain he was going to walk away. A small frown replaced the smile on her lips, they parted like she wanted to speak but her words became trapped in her throat, scared of what his answer might be.

“Belle?” Danny’s Irish voice sliced through her thoughts instantly, it was soft; soothing like always. Able to calm the storm which had been brewing inside her mind. She blinked a few times, realising she had just been staring at him for a good length of time.

“...Yeah?” 

“Are you okay?” He asked again, concern weaved in between his words; a small luxury for the young girl. The gesture may have meant nothing to others but for her, it meant that he cared enough to worry about her, a commodity she didn't get very often. A subtle smile curled to the corner of her lips, so small that Danny hadn't even noticed, but that smile quickly returned to a frown. She knew that she should say something to him- the truth, but she didn’t want to drag up the past. Not when everything seemed to be finally returning back to normal. 

She had to wonder, would it ever be normal again? Had that argument changed the entire relationship, caused a rift between them that over time would slowly tear them apart. Or was she simply just worried over nothing; letting her mind run wild much like the stories inside her books. An argument could be just that in the end; an argument. Not a life-changing moment. 

“Belle.” Danny’s voice pierced through the thick silence once again, he could see the frown resting on her features while her mind ran away from her once more.

“I love you.”

Those three words were what finally dragged Belle back into reality, instead of staring through the man next to her into her own doubts she stared into his hues. It was like deep down he always knew what to say to calm the storm inside her. How even in her times of silence he knew what she was thinking; feeling. Sometimes she was convinced that Danny knew her better than anyone else did, even herself. The frown on her lips quickly curled back into a small smile and the thoughts screaming inside her mind grew to a hushed whisper before being met with silence once more. They didn’t have to talk about what happened on the roof that night, not yet. They had the rest of the holiday, and all the time in the world once they were back in England. In the end, their life was only just beginning.

“I love you too, so much..” She whispered back. Danny smiled, rolling so he was leaning over her body. His hand found one of her loose curls and wrapped it around his fingers. The two locked eyes for a few, silent seconds before he leaned down and planted a soft, passionate kiss onto the girl’s pink glossed lips. She smiled in the kiss, letting her eyes close as she kissed him back. 

** _Buzz….Buzz…..Buzz…_ **

Belle frowned feeling the vibration of her phone against her and Danny’s leg. Danny pulled away, pushing himself to the side of her so that she had the freedom to move and answer the phone. _ Though they both knew who it was going to be _. She glanced toward him, watching his facial expression the entire time while she answered the call. Hoping she didn’t see disappointment staring back at her. 

_ “Hello…” _ Belle started while she placed the phone against her ear, the sound of a male could be heard talking back through the phone. He sounded serious; almost demanding. _ “I’m not I’m-..Yes- No I- Yes father...Yes. I’ll be down right away..” _the faint sound of a click could be heard followed by the dial tone while she placed the phone back inside her pocket. The silence of the night danced around the two lovers once more. She parted her lips but once again no sound came out, the word lodged inside her throat. Even though both she and Danny knew she had to say it; she didn’t want to. She never wanted this moment to end, especially not as abruptly as this.

“I’m sorry.” She finally managed to speak, the words leaving her lips in such a hushed, sad tone. The silvery ring in her British accent masked by the disappointment in not only her father but herself. 

“It’s fine, really.” Danny reassured her, his kind voice being able to warm the chill which had grown inside the girl’s chest. “We always have tomorrow.” He reminded her, his smile lighting up brighter than the stars scattered throughout the night sky, it was infectious to Belle and caused a smile to return to her lips once more. 

“Tomorrow.” She repeated with a nod of her head.

Finally, she stood up, brushing the dirt from her dress. Danny stood up not too long after, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend and pulling her into a tight embrace. He planted one last goodbye kiss onto her forehead before the two stepped away from each other. She looked at him, a smile still on her lips before she finally turned around and walked towards the doors leading her back down to the casino below. He watched her walk away, the smile on his face still remaining even after the door had swung shut and his girlfriend was long out of view. A small sigh left his lips.

_ “Sweet, really.” _ A low voice spoke up from behind Danny., a mocking tone dripping off every word. ** _“Young love.”_ **


	6. Strike.

_ “Sweet, really. _ .. ** _Young love.”_ **

Danny spun around, toward where the voice had originated from, squinting his eyes when he saw the duo-coloured hair of a man he had never seen before in his life. He was smirking, hands pushed into the pockets of his suit pants and hair slicked back into a ponytail. Something about the look of this man caused a sinking feeling to grow inside Danny’s chest. 

“Who the hell are you?” Danny asked, his words dripping with frustration. The comment regarding his and Belle’s relationship had rubbed him the wrong way entirely. He felt violated; a private moment between him and his girlfriend tainted by the words of whoever this man was. 

“I don’t think that matters too much,” Roxas replied with a shrug, head tilting to the side while he spoke, his eyes dark, maybe even darker than the soul that lingered behind his stare. He didn’t understand what she saw in this guy. Short, weak, no darkness inside him; some feeble bad boy act that was nothing more than maybe a few petty arrests. It was pathetic, laughable almost, how someone as insignificant as this...Thing in front of him had managed to hold onto someone like _ her. _

“She’s beautiful, isn’t she.” Roxas spoke up once again, Danny could only assume he meant Belle. His eyes narrowed again, taking a step forward now. “Though I have to wonder how someone of her..._ enchantment _ settled with someone like _ you _,” he paused, “Pity, maybe?” Roxas couldn’t help but let a sinister smile crawl to his lips, especially once he saw the anger growing inside the smaller man’s heterochromatic eyes. 

“ I don’t think that has anything to do with you.” Danny replied bitterly, using the man’s own words against him- _ smart _ Roxas mused. A low chuckle escaped from his lips before pulling down on his tie to loosen it, taking two steps forward to continue closing the gap between the two. “Then again, it seems like if Daddy got his way, you would have been out the picture long ago, _especially_ as your parents disowned you. So tell me, Daniel Nelson, what is your secret?” His voice had lowered even more now, a mocking tone accompanying every word, he folded his hands over each other, resting them in front of him.

Danny felt a chill drag itself up his spine when his full name fell from the man’s lips. How the hell had he obtained that information? And most of all _ why _did he want it? He was speechless, looking for some kind of answer to his previous thought. Maybe it was William who had sent the man, trying to scare him away from his daughter? Though it seemed irrational, even for the cold-blooded William Versity, it was the only way he could make this encounter seem somewhat logical. 

“Love.” The word hung around in the air, lingering long after it had softly left his lips. Danny continued to stare Roxas down, it angered him that this...Boy could look him dead in the eye without an ounce of fear behind them. One of Roxas’ sculpted eyebrows raised, his head tilting to one side again. Brown hues slowly looking the man up and down once more, really taking in just what was in front of him. _ Pathetic. _After a painful pause, a scoff left Roxas’ dark lips, glancing away toward the horizon of other buildings on the Vegas strip before they locked back with Danny’s.

“Then I guess I’ll just _ have _ to make her love me.” He finally spoke up, his voice didn’t have a mocking tone behind it anymore. He sounded serious, all hints of jest or mockery blown away with the wind and replaced with the tone of a voice that truly had cruel intentions. Danny’s eyes widened briefly before narrowing; his fists clenched and he grit his teeth, an inferno of anger scorching within. 

“_ You _don’t get to make her do anything, or feel anything.” His Irish, Spanish accent fell from his lips as a growl, his voice unlike Roxas’, however, didn’t harbor cruel intentions- only intentions to protect what he loved. Roxas’ lips stayed neutral; a stone-faced expression staring straight through Danny’s eyes into his soul. 

“It’s okay,” Roxas started, voice still masked in the darkness from his eyes- face still expressionless. “I’ll take good care of her.” He finally let a sick smile twist onto his features before nodding his head. Danny’s eyes snapped open and he swung around, realising someone had been approaching him from behind, cold steel catching the light of the moon, the tip of the knife glinting. Danny felt his adrenaline burn through his veins and he swung for the other man, his fist connecting with the side of the man’s face. He had been aiming for the nose but his fight or flight made him clumsy. Kai collapsed to the floor, his hazel eyes now wide. He hadn’t even noticed the dull agonising pain throbbing from his jaw. He felt nothing as he stared at the man towering over him, frozen like a deer in the headlights. 

“What the hell are you doing?! You’re psychopaths, both of you! Mierda!” Danny’s voice shook from the sudden rush pumping inside his body, he stepped closer to the male on the floor- not thinking straight in his adrenaline-fueled actions. 

“What are you waiting for, Kai?” Roxas snapped, his voice causing Danny to quickly look behind him before turning back towards Kai. “Finish it, he’s right there!”

“You fucking touch me I’ll hurt you I swear.” Danny snarled, his hands still clenched though his fist throbbed from the misguided punch. Kai gripped the knife tighter, raising it off the ground and up toward the male, he stared into the man’s eyes before finally his grip loosened and the clutter of the knife hitting the floor echoed through the skyline, hands now wide in front of his face.

“I..” Kai started, eyes still locked with Danny’s watching the man’s breath shake, the way his hands trembled; he was scared. 

“I can’t. I-”

_ **BANG** _

Kai’s eyes now filled with terror as a warm liquid splattered over his hands, some droplets landing on his face. His hazel eyes followed the direction and looked up at Danny who’s lifeless body collapsed forward, the bullet hole in the middle of his forehead visible as he crumpled to the ground.

_ nothing more than a shell of his former self. _


End file.
